The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-06-15
SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL.

A worn car wheel thread, examined
under the microscope, shows that the
surface of the metal comes off in thin
fakes or scales.
NJ De Grand advances a new theory as
to coal formation, considering that coal
beds were formerly beds of naphtha and
bituminous petroleum, produced by the
decomposition of inferior aquatic vege-
tation under the influence of heat and
dampness.
A French manufacturer has applied
electricity to the aid of weavers in
somewhat curious manner. He has at
tached to each of his looms an indicator,
which sounds when a thread breaks, rem
dering unnecessary the eyewearying
watching of the fast-moving threads.
A Scientific authority says we can pre-
vent the formation Of smoke, but we can
not destroy it when made. Confine the
gases with heated air so that combustion
takes place, and no smoke is formed.
ga well burning lamp does not properly
burn its own smoke, but it burns without
smoke and so with our best furnaces"
The art of COMPRISING paper into the
substance called papier mache has long
been known, but the use of compressed
wood is comparatively new. The process
has been patented in England and APP
piled to the manufacture of certain ar
ticles which need greater firmness and
wearing power than ordinary wood pos
sesses.
A Belgian glass-blower at Meadville,
Pa, has accomplished the feat of driving
locomotive and train of cars with gas
manufactured from crude oil. The
device, which occupies small space on
the tender, and is connected with the
furnace, is very simple. TheRxperiment
was made on the New York, Pennsyl-
vania and Ohio road, and has been pro-
nounced by competent persons complete
success.
An export house in Stuttgart has just
supplied the town of Caracas, in Vene-
zuea, with q number of clocks for the
public streets. On account of frequent
earthquakes clock towers are not advis-
able, and since the clocks must be placed
low comparatively large number is re-
quired Among the clocks sent out is
one with dial thirteen feet in diameter.
! All the clocks will be worked electrically
and Illuminated at night with the cleo
trio light.
1t appears natural enough to every one
that a piece, even of the toughest wire,
should be quickly broken if bent back
ward and forward to Il sharp angle; but,
perhaps, only to locomotive and marine
engineers does it tappear equally natural
that the same result would follow in time
] ba 1iVfr 10 1,a
quite imperceptible to the eye. A loco
motive crank axle bends but "a of an
inch, and IA straight driving axle still
smaller amount under the heaviest bend
ing stresses to which they are subject,
and yet their life is limited.
Take it as rule, the most violent poi
sons, and the substance that produce the
most deleterous effects on the human
system, are from the vegetable kingdom
The mineral drugs which may cause
harm are few in number, and, if we eX-
cept arsenic, are not especially violent
poisons. There is a considerable amount
of poisoning from lead, but not through
its medicinal uses, and the same may be
said at the present time of mercury. In
fine, it is the purely vegetable drugs
which are the most dangerous, because
it is these that stimulate the brain or be-
numb the senses, induce morbid habits
and eventually establish, physical de.
generation. Wewish, says the CuIti0dtOr,
that the public could be made to under
stand this, when it is confronted with
alluring notices of the perfect safety ano
harmlessness of "purely vegetable
drugs.